Testimonials

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What are athletes saying about Endurance Journey Coaching?

The one on one coaching with Patrick is what helped me achieve my goal of completing an Ironman while helping balance life and work. Many times as athletes we get caught up in the training, Patrick provides a grounding and balancing influence that is needed to ensure we reach our goals in a way that supports our health. His coaching provided this environment to develop a healthy approach to my preparation. I learned to trust in the process Patrick had laid out to be ready on race day. I appreciated the real time feedback and adjusting of my workouts to fit my changing work schedule as well as injuries that did pop up. Some of the most valuable information that I took away with working with Patrick was his analysis of races where I fell apart in. No one wants to fall short of their own expectations, and as a very competitive athlete, this is difficult to accept. However, I realized being relatively new to the sport I still had a big learning curve. Patrick worked with me to take those set backs, learn from them, and make changes to ensure that they didn’t happen again. I came back and had some of the best races after!

I had doubts about if I could complete an Ironman... who swims nearly 4km then rides 180km and then runs 42km in plus 30 degree weather? Patrick gave me the confidence that if I believe in myself and the training plan, with commitment to the process of preparation, I would be ready... and I was! As much as triathlons are physical they are mental as well. Your mind will tell you that you are done 40% sooner then when your body is actually done. Patrick helped me develop the mental strength to tap into that other 40% which has allowed me to compete with athletes with far greater experience.

I would with full confidence recommend Patrick Ash.

— Jardin Schnurr

I was first introduced to Jen at her workplace, where I volunteered, after overhearing her talking about an upcoming ultra race which interested me. Having never done any form of running race before, I reached out to her for some advice and pointers to get started. A month later I completed my first half marathon, with Jen being the first person to congratulate me at the finish line.

When summer rolled around, I moved down to California for work but also with the interest of seriously training for a marathon. I was running lots but never had any real running program or schedule, resulting in me hitting a wall and not seeing much improvement. I decided to sign up for the Queen City Marathon and asked Jen if she could be my coach. I was a bit skeptical about how beneficial a coach living in a different country would be, but I went with it and was more than happy with my decision. Jen provided me with a detailed 9-week training program, but more importantly answered all of my many questions I had every week, held me accountable, and kept me motivated until race day.

I was more than satisfied with Jen as a coach and would highly recommend her to anyone starting out or interested in taking their training to the next level. I look forward to working with Jen when I begin training for my first ultra. 

— William McCallum

Before I began working with Jen, I was only modestly active, running on a treadmill at home. I felt I needed more to be able to pursue an active running lifestyle and was fortunate enough to sign up for a class where Jen was the coach.Jen’s experience, expertise, encouragement and positive reinforcement helped me immensely to improve my run times and overall fitness every week! Jen can see the potential in people and pushes you to realize that potential. Her training helped to boost my confidence to enter my first half-marathon and to my amazement I completed it with a respectable time! Her continued coaching prompted me to enter a second half-marathon with even better results! Thanks so much Jen, never thought I had it in me only a short time ago!

— Rod Steffan

Patrick is a fantastic coach and smart enough to understand new practice but caring enough to ensure all his athletes are safely and effectively taking care of themselves. Simply put Patrick helped me find out that I am capable of completing things that I never felt possible. The major benefit for me was changing my lifestyle and finding health. Having worked with Patrick, I know understand what it takes to truly live a healthy life. I feel more alert, and confident in my day to day life.

— Braden White

Patrick is committed to your success. Patrick is willing to work around my busy work schedule to develop a training program that has assisted me in accomplishing a work/life/race lifestyle. Patrick has shown me the importance of paying attention to pacing and taking care of my body. Patrick helped me attain personal bests in Ironman Calgary and World Championships in Edmonton as well as complete an Ironman twice. 

— Murray Gurski

After running more than 20 marathons, it had been years since I had run a personal best. I called upon Jen’s coaching services in order to break through that plateau. I knew that her professional training and personal experiences as a distance runner could help me achieve my goals.

Jen worked with me to develop a personalized training program for the Boston 2 Big Sur Challenge in 2015, which included 2 marathons in 6 days. She tailored my workouts to balance the demands of a busy job and family commitments. Her support and encouragement provided additional motivation, and she was readily available whenever I had questions or concerns. I didn’t run more mileage than in previous training, but there were many more quality miles and a focus on balancing hard/easy days and recovery to become stronger.

Jen was also able to modify my training to help a chronic hamstring injury heal. Even though my goal races were hilly, she knew my body couldn’t tolerate the demands of both hills and speedwork. She gave me rehab exercises to perform and kept the focus on speed without hills.

With Jen’s guidance, I ran my 2nd fastest marathon ever at Boston 2015, my first race in the Master’s age division, only seconds shy of a personal best in spite of cold, pouring rain & headwinds. I was able to run another strong marathon on a tougher course less than a week later.

Having a coach structure each workout has taken the stress out of struggling to develop my own training plans, and I look forward to each training block, whether it’s peaking for a new goal, or recovery & base building in the off-season. Jen’s exuberance for the sport is contagious and she truly cares about her athletes. The workouts are challenging, and they keep my mind and body fresh. I have complete confidence in Jen’s coaching skills and look forward to continuing our coach-athlete relationship.

— Cari Bode

The past 3+ years training with Patrick have been awesome. Through Patrick’s training plans, knowledge, advice, and encouragement, I have achieved more than I ever thought possible, including an ironman in which I far exceeded my goal time, as well as competing at an age group world-level event. Patrick’s group workouts have also been key to my success, as they bring together a group of like-minded people who encourage and motivate one another, in addition to make training fun.

The most important benefit that I have received by training with Patrick has been having his support and advice, in addition to training plans that fit with my life while also ensuring I have the required fitness to reach my goals. I have learned so much about triathlon, and how the mind and body respond to training, recovery and nutrition. Patrick can provide the full training package, with his expertise in swimming, biking, running, strength and mobility, to make sure that the various aspects of training work together to create a stronger overall athlete. He also focuses on the mental aspects of triathlon training, which is such an important yet often overlooked component of the sport. The in-depth coaching he provides on planning for the race day and race week, and follow up evaluation, lead to less stressful and stronger races that build upon one another.

— Julie Woldu

Patrick has a very personalized, skilled, and friendly approach to coaching to help me, and your other clients to help achieve our unique goals, while also managing a diverse group of athletes during group sessions. I love training with such a highly motivated and talented group of triathletes. And, the understanding and encouragement to ensure my training program is only one component of a balanced life. Thank you for Improvements in my form in all disciplines (swim/bike/run). I now have greater confidence in my abilities to succeed through focusing on maintaining a positive mental attitude and breaking down a race into manageable segments.

— Shari Mombourquette

Patrick has transformed me from an athlete that couldn’t swim 25 meters to a top 5% amateur age group Ironman athlete. His primary focus is on balancing my work, family and training, and his emphasis on overall health has kept injuries to a minimum and allowed me to train hard and continue to enjoy the sport for many years.

Patrick has also done an excellent job helping me define my true life goals. His lifestyle coaching approach focuses on all aspects of overall health, not just endurance training. This focus has allowed me to embrace a true balance between family, work and endurance training.

— Jim Greenwood

Patrick’s knowledge, attention to detail pertaining to each athlete is beyond outstanding! He helped me create a better breathing pattern for my swim has given me endurance. I’ve gained endurance, encouragement, strength, agility, and confidence in my own athletic ability. Patrick has taken me out of my comfort zone to become stronger athlete! Teaching me to run with confidence and I like to run! Which is a huge accomplishment for us! I see my success every session!

You have my best interest in mind during every training session. Brilliant is brilliant.

— Marylane Marchuk

Patrick is an amazing coach with years of knowledge and experience. Each athlete is different and brings a number of different things to the table. Patrick’s approach looks at each athlete as an individual and is very respectful to the body and the limits that we have as an individual. In the event that there is an injury or situation, training is altered to accommodate that.

I started with Patrick as part of a fall/winter cycling class in October 2014. I was impressed with the quality of the training sessions. From there, an opportunity presented itself to do a full week of training uninterrupted, which I took. This week transformed my view of participating in the sport of triathlon from a casual athlete to becoming a triathlete with time spent on swimming, biking, and running. It was in this week that I learned that there is more to the sport than just these three disciplines. I had no idea that there was a mental component and a nutritional component, little lone how important they are. With some of the new tools learned, the summer was spent training with some of Regina’s best triathletes. The athletes I trained with were very accepting of someone who is relatively new to the sport. My 2015 season was my best season, with accomplishing PB’s in each of the sprint races that I did, along with completing my first Olympic and Half Ironman distances. Patrick showed me that I could do the distances, even when I doubted myself. After I finished my race season and spent some time assisting the group of athletes with ride support, seeds were planted about what happens next. After seeing my success in 2015, I am very excited (and scared) about the journey to the ultimate goal, which I never thought was possible and only a dream…to become an Ironman!

You have been very supportive this year in ways that I never thought were possible. While my threshold was pushed during the 21 day test, you were there. As I have told you before, and will again, you have the patience of a saint. I hope that as I make the journey towards becoming an Ironman, you will call me on training too hard, training too much, when my nutrition is screwed up, amongst other the things that will not allow me to see my success. You have been on this journey before, where as this is new to me. I want to be able to stay healthy and relatively injury free for this journey. With your support and plans, I know that this journey will be life changing…for the better :-)

— Shari Mostaf

I really enjoy being part of Patricks Coaching. Its nice to have his support when training and race preparation gets tough. How hard he works to make my workout schedule work with my busy work/ life schedule.

What I have gained is a healthy lifestyle, mental toughness, self control and drive to always be better work harder never be satisfied with where your at! 

— Brett Moore

Patrick has cultivated a team of results focused athletes that inspire me to work hard and dream bigger all the time. Working with Patrick has taught me to trust the process and that with training you can achieve what you set your mind to.

The accountability of having a coach and a team of people expecting me to show up, and wanting to see me do well and continuously improve is what I credit my improvements over the past 3 years to the most.

The consistency of working with Patrick and being committed to group training sessions has helped me come back from several injuries and set backs that could have otherwise completely deterred me from training and racing again. The training cycles that we work through gives the work a greater feeling of purpose than when I would pull together my own workouts - when I race I have Patrick’s voice in my head giving me reminders!

— Erin Keifer

Patrick Ash Coaching is the perfect blend of personal goals-setting, group workouts with the added benefit of personalized attention from a qualified, knowledgeable, experienced and fun coach. My happiest moment, as a result of training with Patrick Ash Coaching, occured when I exited the swim at Ironman Mont Tremblant feeling energized, elated, excited and ready to tackle a 180 km bike ride followed by a 42.2 km run. At the start of our swim training, Patrick had asked us to share our goals with the team. Although completing the 3.8 km swim did not worry me at all as I felt I was an average swimmer capable of doing this. What worried me most, was having the energy after said swim to successfully complete the bike portion of the IM race with time to spare. I knew that if I started the bike in an exhausted state, there was no way I could manage the 2 loop course in the time alloted. After a year of swim training, I leapt out of that water and shouted ‘that was awesome” out loud as I crossed the timing mat. Thanks to Patrick Ash Coaching and all the support of the team, I heard the words “Francoise, tu es une Ironman” at the inaugural Ironman Mont Tremblant in my home province, in front of my family while holding my wonderful husband Bruce’s hand!

Run techniques have had the most beneficial impact on my as an athlete. Patrick’s voice is always in my head with key focus points anytime I am running either inside or out, long or short, fast or slow. I would say that Foundation Training is the second most beneficial to me as an older athlete. I believe it has helped me in maintaining an injury-free body (excluding the recent broken toe incident caused by the couch while cleaning).

— Frankie Pelletier

Patrick Ash Coaching is an organized and systematic approach to efficient training. Patrick Ash Coaching has provided thorough skills and knowledge, which has enhanced my performance.

— Dr. Allison Ziegler

Patrick Ash Coaching offers a comprehensive and individualized approach to triathlon training. Built upon a strong foundation of exercise science and supported by years of experience, I really felt that Patrick Ash Coaching had the knowledge and wisdom necessary to take my training to the next level. The group training opportunities offered also allow each athlete the option to train in a way that best fits their personality and schedule. There really is something for everyone at any level.

My happiest experience with Patrick Ash Coaching was qualifying and attending the Triathlon World Age Group Championships in Edmonton 2014. I truly believe that without this training program I would not have been able to compete and experience this level of competition on my own. 

— Leah White

It was only after two Ironman races and many other triathlons that I felt I needed to take things to a higher level. I needed a coach to guide and help me get all I could out of myself. Over hearing triathletes at training and races I decided to go on the hunt. I looked online and asked around, but was not really convinced by what I heard or found. It was only after a meeting on a chilly day in late January that I felt comfortable I was making a great choice. Patrick was not only confident that I could reach my goals; he was excited that he could make them happen. This made me feel I could do it! The program he had laid out was one that worked around my work schedule, and was built so I felt fresh and ready for races. He offered nutritional advice that clearly worked. Patrick also listened when I ask questions or asked for advice. The biggest thing however is he gets results, and isn’t this is really what people want? I had a goal to take 30 minutes off my Ironman distance and 15 to twenty off my half Ironman distance. Results were 1 hour and 11 minutes and 17 shaved off respectively. I also had a personal best in an Olympic distance race and qualified for and raced at the 2014 ITU World Championships. Patrick was clearly the correct choice and will use his coaching again without hesitation!

To borrow from my coach and friend... See your success!

— Kelly Cozine

I am heading into my 7th season of training with Patrick I cannot imagine what more a coach could bring to the table. Patrick has an understanding of everything that I think is important to put together a training plan to ensure success of his athletes. Patrick has the theoretical knowledge base required to understand how an athlete’s body responds to training and he is also an athlete himself, which furthers this understanding. Patrick is very knowledgeable and responsive to questions about a wide range of subjects; injury prevention / rehab recommendations, nutrition planning, sport specific technique, gear selection, etc. He is a wealth of information and if he doesn’t have an immediate answer, he is quick to research it and provide a response. Patrick has been able to structure effective programs that are flexible enough to allow me to balance family and work commitments, which is very important to me.

I have seen performance increases through training with Patrick, including PB’s 70.3 distances last year. Thanks to continued work with Patrick, I’m looking forward to more improvement this year!!